Brits heading to Europe this summer face significantly longer waits at passport control due to the EU's new Entry/Exit System (EES), an airport boss has warned. Ivan Bassato, Chief Aviation Officer at Rome's Fiumicino airport, told the BBC that the average time for UK nationals has jumped from seven to 20 minutes since the system's rollout on October 12 last year.
EES Nearly Triples Wait Times
The EES requires British citizens entering the Schengen area to provide fingerprints and a photo at dedicated kiosks. Bassato noted that while recent updates have improved e-gate performance, the process remains far slower than before. He stated: "We are not at the point where you have the same quality of the process [as] before the EES." The airport has invested €12 million (£10.2 million) in self-service kiosks, but bugs and high passenger volumes continue to cause delays.
Bassato expressed dissatisfaction with waits of one to two hours, urging: "I think that we need to fix urgently certain aspects of the system." The system has sparked complaints from travellers across Europe, with many reporting extensive queues.
Travellers Report Hours-Long Queues
Carl, a British tourist travelling to Rome with his family, described a two-hour wait: "It was two hours queuing, from getting off the plane to getting through with children. I knew it was going to be bad, but not as bad as that." Another traveller on Reddit recounted a non-EU immigration line at Fiumicino that wrapped through duty-free, taking over an hour to clear.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has advised Brits to "be prepared to wait" during busy times, especially on first visits when biometric registration is required. The government portal states: "On your first visit to the Schengen area, you may be asked to create a digital record at the port or airport on arrival. You may be asked to submit your fingerprints and have your photo taken at dedicated booths."
EU Insists Disruption Is Temporary
The European Commission has downplayed the disruption, claiming that delays are limited and that member states will receive continued support to improve the system. However, Bassato's comments and traveller accounts suggest that significant challenges remain for UK nationals navigating the new border checks.
